Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed interest in deepening cooperation between Russia and China, including the intention to make the visa-free regime between the two countries permanent. The statement was made during celebrations of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Beijing.
Tourism between the two countries saw significant growth of 43% in the first half of the year, an increase driven precisely by the visa exemption that facilitates travel for Russian and Chinese citizens. This data highlights the positive impact of the travel liberalization policy between the two nations.
Putin's initiative comes in the context of a strengthening of bilateral relations between Russia and China, which have been drawing closer diplomatically in recent years. The visa-free regime, initially implemented as a temporary measure, may thus become a permanent cooperation policy.
